Careers as unique and exciting as the products we sell. Futures that offer the same long-lasting quality.

Whether you want to style generations of shoppers in some of the most invigorating store environments in the world, or you’ve set your sights on driving the business forward from one of our dynamic head offices, big responsibilities and incredible opportunities await.

If you’re ready to start your Debenhams adventure, take a look at what you can expect from our selection process, read our application tips and then search for a vacancy.

Drive, personality and enthusiasm. You’ll have it in abundance. Being a Sales Adviser goes far beyond the till. This is about exceeding customer expectations and providing shopping experiences to remember. Working alongside your like-minded team, you’ll be the reason our customers leave with a smile on their face, and the incentive they need to keep on coming back. In return, you’ll be able to build up a wide range of experience, particularly within our ever evolving, dynamic and popular Click & Collect service, plus Wedding Services and Travel Money Bureaus.

Ambitions to run your own Debenhams store? This is the place to start. Often with responsibility for an entire division, you’ll lead by example - driving the highest standards of customer service, developing your team and working with the Sales Manager to deliver captivating experiences for all. Prove a success and who knows where you’ll make an impression next?

Without the substance, there could be no style. Our Technical Service Advisers ensure our stores are safe environments for all. DIY skills and an excellent knowledge of Health and Safety help, but there’s much more to this role than that. It’s about taking the initiative and liaising with contractors. It’s about using your logic and providing technical expertise with store teams. And, above all, it’s about doing what you do best, so our stores can come to life.

Making a great shopping experience even more rewarding. That’s the aim of our Personal Shoppers. Providing one-on-one assistance to customers, you’ll need the pro-activeness to approach shoppers, the confidence to recommend products and the personality to build their trust. With an impressive knowledge that stretches across every department and an expert eye for style, you’ll make an impression that ensures our customers do the same.

Across the street. In the shopping malls. On iPads and online. Today, the choice for shoppers is everywhere. So we’ve got to keep on catching the customer’s eye. From creating head-turning window displays to designing the look and feel of our departments, you’ll use your creativity, flair and fashion experience to remind people why our stores are the most stylish, modern and captivating environments in which to shop.

Thousands of customers. Hundreds of product lines. Dozens of employees. All under one roof. When you have that much responsibility, it’s no wonder that keeping everyone and everything safe and secure is of paramount importance to us. And that’s where our Loss Prevention teams play their part. Whether it’s briefing our teams on potential situations, training them in security procedures or responding to emergencies, you’ll keep our stock secure and us safe every minute of every day.

There’s much more to these roles than ensuring our products are in the right place at the right time. With hundreds of lines across the store, constantly changing tastes and new products regularly hitting the shelves, we’ll need you to show an impressive product knowledge and keen eye for detail, as you prioritise high volume sellers, enforce pricing strategy and manage overstocks, shortages, returns and transfers. Without you, we wouldn’t be who we are.

Out of sight to our customers, means anything but out of mind to us. Our Sales Support teams work behind the scenes to ensure that out on the shop floor we’ve got everything covered. In our Finance Administration team it’ll be your attention to detail, accuracy, reconciliation skills and cash handling that ensure every customer has the kind of shopping experience they thought they could only dream of. While in Store Training you’ll be focused on developing our sales teams through inductions and new initiatives, plus organising training records and training calendars.

Want to run a Debenhams store as if it was your own? That’s the level of autonomy our managers get. All with the help and support you’d expect from a multinational retailer. You’ll need to be an inspirational leader with the entrepreneurial spirit to make it a success. And with the most stylish product ranges on the market and a team ready to follow your example, you’ll have everything you need to do just that.

In our fast-paced, rapidly changing business, where the online world means the high street is no longer the only choice for customers, style has never been more critical. And in this role, you’ll set the standards. With the freedom to express your imagination and a big responsibility for the look, feel and commercial success of the store, you’ll use your creativity and technical skills to inspire customers and colleagues alike.

When it comes to enticing customers through captivating stores and maximising sales, opportunity is everything. As our Warehouse Manager, you’ll liaise with Sales Managers and Supervisors across all divisions, and coach and develop your team. All to ensure hundreds of lines of contemporary fashion, designer labels, new collections and must-have products are processed and on the shelves, ready for our customers to enjoy.

If you want a role that’s instrumental in the running of a store and the progression of our business, you’ll find no better place to make your mark than as a Sales Manager. Responsible for the sales within your own department, you’ll mentor your team and make sure they’re making the most of their ability. All so we keep on delivering the kind of customer service that’s the envy of the high street. Ambitious and passionate, many of our Sales Managers have aspirations to one day become Store Managers. We’d hope you do as well.

No two days are ever the same. And with tastes and needs changing on a daily basis, no one’s quite sure what to expect next. It makes for an exhilarating career, but it means we’ve got to be on our toes every minute of every day. In this role you’ll do just that. Responsible for finance and stock, you’ll use your planning, organisation and speed of thought to make sure everyone has what they need, when they need it. And by doing so, you’ll play a vital part in maximising sales and controlling costs.

Using your vast levels of experience, you’ll take the lead when it comes to the continued security of our stores. From training teams across all departments in the procedures that will keep them vigilant, to making the decisions that will mean our customers are safe and our stock secure, you’ll be pivotal in the Debenhams shopping experience.

Like our collections, there’s a lot to choose from at Debenhams. So if you know you want to join us in a management role, but aren’t quite sure which is your perfect fit, that’s understandable. Take a look at all our roles in more detail and then make your choice.

Buying

Source the best-selling lines of the future. That’s the aim of our buyers. Working with the biggest names in fashion design. That’s the environment. Spotting the trends and influencing the styles is only half the challenge though. With every decision having an impact on sales, our buyers have to find the products that will turn in a profit too.

Trainee Assistant Buyer :-

Supporting the Assistant Buyer and Buyer, you'll deliver the products our customers can’t wait to get their hands on. Show your talent for identifying next season’s must-haves and thanks to our on-the-job development and internal courses, you could well find yourself as an Assistant Buyer within 12-18 months.

Assistant Buyers :-

Working closely with the Buyer, you’ll find your responsibility and influence over which styles Debenhams brings to the market quickly grows. One day we want you to be a Buyer yourself. In control of your very own range. That’s why developing the buying, negotiation and leadership skills you need is a part of everyday life in this role.

Buyers :-

An instinct for what’s right and what’s not. All our Buyers have it. You’ll need it too as you take control for the overall style and direction of your own department. This role isn’t just about providing customers with what they want though. It’s about making money too. So you’ll need to be numerate, with excellent negotiation and people management skills.

Design

Not many roles give you the opportunity to style the nation alongside fashion designers revered around the world. But join our Design team and that’s exactly what you’ll do. Expressing your imagination and sharing your vision for what people will be buying next, you’ll work with the likes of Jasper Conran and Matthew Williamson to put together creative and commercially successful product ranges.

It takes a high level of commercial acumen to recognise the products with the biggest selling potential. As some of the best in the business, our Merchandising teams have it in droves. Joining them you’ll help achieve impressive bottom line results by making tactical decisions about positioning and quantities. And thanks to your financial expertise, ability to interpret data and close interaction with stores, suppliers and distribution teams, you’ll ensure we get the best sales results too.

Allocators :-

For a graduate looking to break into the fashion business, opportunities don’t get much better than this. Supporting the Assistant Merchandisers, you’ll pick up the analytical, forecasting, management and negotiation skills that should see you make the step up within two years.

Assistant Merchandiser :-

When it comes to making profitable product decisions, you’ll be the one to do it. We’ll support you of course, but with an active involvement in the financial side of planning, we’ll be relying on you to maximise sales and increase our margin potential. What’s more, it’ll be down to you to ensure the right products are ready and waiting for the customer. When they want it. And at the right price.

Merchandiser :-

A portfolio that extends across an entire range. An influence on what products our internationally renowned designers set their imaginations to next. As a Merchandiser, this is your world. You’ll need to be experienced, flexible and unfazed by ambiguity, and have a delicate mix of entrepreneurial thinking with commercially robust tactics. If you do, we’ll give you the freedom to make the decisions that could transform our business.

As one of the biggest online retailers in the world, with ambitions to achieve £600m worth of online sales, e-commerce is not only one of our biggest growth areas, it’s also one of our most exciting opportunities. From Developers to Web Image and Web Product Assistants, there’s a role here the most ambitious individuals can make their own. All you need are the technical skills to help build and maintain the fastest, most intuitive and stunning retail sites and platforms around.

The right commercial decision. Made at the right time. Through financial risk assessment, monitoring and cost control, it’s one our team of Finance Managers, Analysts and Assistant Analysts never get wrong.
No role in Finance is for the faint-hearted. You’ll need to thrive in the fast-pace of retail life and be prepared to meet tasks head on. But if you can, you’ll find opportunities to gain qualifications, to build your analytical and mathematical abilities and to become an expert in your field.

Whether it’s Helpdesk Support or developing state-of-the-art systems, a company as unique as ours requires unique technology. It’ll be your technical know-how, teamwork and speed of thought that keeps Debenhams running every day. And if problems do arise, whether it’s PCs, tills or other network systems, you’ll be the one to get us operational again. All in a matter of moments.

In a market as ferociously changing as ours, decision-making and creative thinking plays a vital role in meeting our supply chain and logistic challenges. So this role won’t just see you put robust systems into place that enable us to process huge stock movements. It’ll see you seek for the innovative answers that have a positive influence on our efficiency, profit and environmental impact too.

Debenhams is changing to improve our operational effectiveness across all sides of the business. We call it Roadmap 2020. This programme will help us grow as a multi-channel, multi-national retailer. From Buying to Merchandising, Design, Sourcing, QA, Distribution, Online, International, UK Retail, Logistics, Finance, Space Planning, Concessions and Marketing. It means we can develop our B&M capability to buy and plan the kind of global range that keeps our customers coming back.

Marketing

The style of our stores and our reputation for offering extraordinary uniqueness and quality is part of it, but when it comes to keeping our profile high, Marketing is the vision behind it. Using your experience and creativity you could find yourself handling the promotion of our brands and new stores. Perhaps it’ll be intelligently using direct mail to share promotional offers with our customers. Or maybe you’ll be making the most of our stunning fashion shoots. Whatever it is, and however you do, one thing will remain the same. You’ll ensure we always stand out from the crowd. Selling our products. Informing customers.

Print

Creating great looking marketing material for stores across the country. All while reacting to our customers’ ever-changing needs. When you join our Print team you’ll be joining some of the best minds in the business. With a keen eye for detail, you’ll help plan and produce campaigns, and then use state-of-the-art equipment to ensure high quality material is produced accurately, to budget and despatched on time.

Split between our London and Taunton offices, our HR teams use their in-depth knowledge of the employment marketplace to ensure we’ve got the finest individuals in every department, and provide the quick and accurate advice that our people need to get the most out of their careers. Here’s where you could join us.

London

Support Centre Resourcing :-

The Debenhams experience doesn’t just start on the retail floor. It begins with the creative and strategic talent behind the scenes. Which is why our specialist recruiters use the most innovative and highly effective methods available to attract the very best Support Centre talent.

Learning & Development Team :-

Our people are our biggest asset. So we invest in their development from the beginning. As a Learning & Development Adviser, you’ll identify training needs, provide support and guidance to managers and, above all, ensure we’re delivering the most effective training solutions possible.

Pay & Reward Team :-

From day one, we wanted to be the most attractive employer destination on the high street. And in today’s hugely competitive marketplace, that’s an ambition more important than ever. Our Pay & Reward Team takes a strategic look at what we’re offering, and makes sure we do everything we possibly can to attract and retain outstanding individuals.

Employee Relations Team :-

We may be a team of over 25,000, but to us, every single one of them matters. Our Employee Relations Team provides the advice and guidance everybody needs. From more information on company guidelines to explaining the intricacies of employment law, join us here and you’ll play a vital role in ensuring the welfare of all our people.

Taunton

Retail Resourcing :-

Retail Resourcing is all about ensuring the very best talents in retail are in our stores, and with more than 170 stores throughout the UK and ROI to support, the demand for new people is always there. With your customer service and organisational skills, you’ll liaise directly with each store, and help bring thousands of new starters in every year.

Support Centre Resourcing :-

When it comes to recruiting the highest-calibre talent across our HR, Finance, Information Systems and Print divisions for our Taunton support centre, this is the Resourcing team that does it. Using, developing and adapting the most innovative and effective recruitment methods on the market, you’ll help us find even more great people.

HR Admin & HR Support Centre :-

We want every store to be able to concentrate on what they’re best at – delivering great fashion and great service. Which is why our Admin and Service Centre teams are so vital to our success. Dealing with a high volume of administration and employee enquiries, these teams provide essential HR support and advice to all our employees.

HR Payroll :-

We know the amount of passion and hard work our employees invest in creating great Debenhams experiences, so it’s only right that they are rewarded appropriately, on time and any queries responded to quickly. You’ll need to be proactive, organised and with excellent attention to detail.

For generations we’ve been a destination for style. Now, with new ambitions to offer our customers a little more, we’re making our food the fashion. From designing our restaurants and cafés, to buying, crafting and selling great coffee and great food, you’ll help us deliver a catering memories that perfectly complement the shopping experience for millions of customers each year.

An ongoing modernisation programme. Ambitions for growth. Plans for worldwide expansion. Has there been a better time to be part of Debenhams? Certainly not if you join our Business Services Property team. With new stores opening everywhere, you’ll use your property expertise to ensure every aspect of our Building Services reach the highest professional standards. Whether it’s small-scale, day-to-day maintenance or large-scale upgrading and refurbishment, you’ll make sure our grand plans are accomplished.

An ongoing modernisation programme. Ambitions for growth. Plans for worldwide expansion. Has there been a better time to be part of Debenhams? Certainly not if you join our Business Services Property team. With new stores opening everywhere, you’ll use your property expertise to ensure every aspect of our Building Services reach the highest professional standards. Whether it’s small-scale, day-to-day maintenance or large-scale upgrading and refurbishment, you’ll make sure our grand plans are accomplished.

Being better every day is a way of life here at Debenhams. That’s why we are changing across all areas of the business from Buying to Merchandising, Design, Sourcing, Distribution, Online, International, UK Retail, Logistics, Finance and Marketing. The Change Hub is how we stay ahead of the curve, with just the right fine tuning internally to help us grow, influence and express.

Our vision for Food is changing. We don’t just want to complement our shopping experience with tasty food and delicious coffee, we want our restaurants and cafes to become reasons to visit in themselves. With a profit-driven mentality, you’ll develop your team to ensure the highest standards of food preparation, hygiene and, of course, the very best in customer service.

Whether you’re preparing the freshest food or serving the greatest coffee, you’ll deliver a dining experience that makes our restaurants and cafès worth visiting alone. Product knowledge and a passion for hospitality are both important. They will help you excel at advising customers on new options and promotions, as you offer them choice from an eclectic menu and provide the kind of service that keeps people coming back for more.

A brand built on individuality. A selection process that lets your personality and skills shine through.

Your strengths. Your aspirations. Your personality. Our selection process has been created with you in mind. We want you to be able to express your talents, tell us who you are and show us why you should be part of our brand.

The process can vary depending on whether you’re looking to join us in store or at our Support Centres. Similarly, it may also vary from role to role. But wherever you want to join us, if your initial online application is successful, we’ll make sure you know exactly what to expect next.

Store Selection Process

Stage One: Telephone Interview
If we like what we’ve read in your application, our Resourcing Team will get in touch with you to arrange a telephone interview. This typically happens within 7 days of us receiving your application. The aim of the telephone interview is for us to get to know you better, so it’s a great opportunity for you to tell us more about yourself and what you can bring to the role. Stage Two: Interview/Recruitment Event
Impress us enough on the phone and you’ll be invited for an interview at your local store. Depending on the role you’re applying for, we may also ask you to take part in some practical exercises as part of a recruitment event. We don’t just see interviews as a chance to understand whether you are right for us, they are as much an opportunity for you to see if Debenhams is the right place for you – so make sure you come prepared with a few questions for us. The main things we’ll be looking to find out from you are why you want to join Debenhams, what makes you suitable for the role and what kind of work experience you already have under your belt.Stage Three: Second Interview
For some roles, we may ask you to come back in for a second and final interview. It doesn’t happen very often. But if it does, you can expect the second interview to take place within a few days.Stage Four: Our Decisions
We are committed to notifying candidates of our decision as quickly as we can. This usually happens within 7 days but can sometimes take a little longer. If you’ve been successful we’ll get in contact to make you the offer, answer any questions you may have and agree your start date. You will then be able to accept our offer online. After that, we’ll look forward to welcoming you on your first day.Feedback
If you‘d like feedback from your interview, we’ll be very happy to provide it to you. All you’ve got to do is ask.

Support Centre Selection Process

When it comes to joining either of our Support Centres, the selection process will be determined by the role you’re applying for. As such there’s no set path, but it’s typically a two stage process. As well as an interview you may be invited to an assessment centre, asked to make a presentation and/or take maths and psychometric tests. There all designed to establish whether you have the skills, passion and ambition that could make you someone at Debenhams.

Applicationtips

There’s no one way to impress us. But the best way is through preparation. Know our brand and we’ll want to get to know you.

We want you to get it right on the day. Just as much as you do. So here are a few tips that will help you prepare for the selection process.

Online application & CV

• At Debenhams, everything’s about quality. So make sure your application is too. We want to know why you’re perfect for the role and why we should invite you for interview. Tailor your application to do exactly that.
• Our attention to detail brings out the very best in our products and it’s a skill our people use every day. Show us you’ve got it too by checking your spelling and grammar.

Interview

Telephone Interview
• Be prepared. Go back over the job description and make sure you know your CV inside out.
• Prepare answers to any likely questions. Use bullet points as prompters if it helps.
• Try to use real examples from previous work experience. We like to know how, why and when.
• Be yourself. We value all our people for the individuality they bring.Face-to-face interview/Recruitment Event
• Again preparation is key. Make sure you have done your research on Debenhams and you know the ins and outs of the role you’ve applied for.
• Think back to your telephone interview. Is there anything important you forgot to mention? Now’s the time to make sure we know about it.
• We’re looking for people who are as ambitious as we are. So be prepared to tell us about your future aspirations and what you’ve done in the past to further your career.
• If you are asked to take part in a group exercise, think about the competencies we’re looking for and show your skills to the best of your ability.
• Keep calm and be yourself. We’ll employ you for your personality and individuality as much as your experience.

FAQs

Here are some questions that people wishing to join Debenhams often ask us. We hope that these will help you in your application to join our business.

Application questions

Q: Who can I contact if I have a problem or question about my application?
Our resourcing team are happy to help. If you are applying for a Store-based role please contact us at jobs@debenhams.com. Alternatively, call us on 03445 616162 and select option 1 – we’re available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.For Support Centre-based roles, you can email us at recruitmentsupport@debenhams.com or contact us on 0345 2689191.
Q: If I have problems with my online application can I apply in another way?
We encourage all candidates to apply online, although reasonable adjustments can be made should you require it. If this is the case, please contact our resourcing team.
Q: Can I apply for more than one job?
Yes you can. However, please think carefully about the most appropriate role that matches your skills and experience. Many of our stores are in close proximity of one another, so if you wish to apply for the same role in multiple stores, please let us know by making a note of this in your application.
Q: How will I know that you’ve received my application?
We’ll send you a confirmation email as soon as we have received your completed application.
Q: What can I expect from an interview?
The interview process depends on the job role that you have applied for and we will discuss this with you in advance if you are progressed to this stage. You can read more about our selection process for both Store-based and Support Centre-based roles here.
Q: How can I prepare for my interview?
If you are shortlisted for interview it’s important that you prepare fully in order to give the best impression possible. We’ve put together some application tips for candidates, including how to prepare for both face-to-face and telephone interviews here.
Q: Can I get feedback after my interview?
Of course. You’ll be asked if you’d like to receive specific feedback on your performance immediately following your interview. If this is the case, we’ll do our best to let you know within 7 days.
Q: Do I need to wear a uniform?
If you join us in a Store-based role you may be required to wear a uniform. It’s how we ensure everyone who works at Debenhams projects a professional image and is easily identifiable to our customers. We’ll supply you with any items of uniform you need. In Support Centre, our dress code is business wear.
Q: What training will I receive if I join Debenhams?
Your training will depend on the role that you apply for. Usually it will combine a hands on approach with technical classroom-based training sessions. Whatever your role you will always be given a thorough training as part of your induction.
Q: Where is your Support Centre based?
We have two main Support Centre locations. Our Central London office, next to Regents Park and a short walk from Oxford Street, is where our Buying, Merchandising, Design and Quality Assurance functions are based, along with some of Support Functions of our business. We also have a second Support Centre in Taunton, Somerset, home to our Information Systems, HR Service Centre, Retail Resourcing, Finance and Print teams.

Contact

If you need to speak to us about a Store-based role, please contact us at jobs@debenhams.com. Alternatively, you can call us on 03445 616162 (UK) or 1890917162 (ROI), selecting option 1 – we’re available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. For Support Centre-based roles, email us at recruitmentsupport@debenhams.com or call 0345 2689191.